EDMONTON -- Mattias Ekholm discussed with his family members whether they should attend his first game back to play against the Nashville Predators.
The Edmonton Oilers defenseman has a strong connection to Nashville, after being selected by the Predators in the fourth round (No. 102) of the 2009 NHL Draft and spending 9 1/2 seasons playing home games at Bridgestone Arena before he was traded Feb. 28.
“My wife and I, we debated back and forth,” Ekholm said Monday prior to departing with the Oilers for Nashville. “We’re arriving around 6 p.m., and leaving right after the game, so we decided for them to stay back. We have three kids, and one is only 3 months old, so to jump on a plane, four hours there, four hours back, my wife was probably making the right decision to say, ‘We’ll watch it on TV and support you.’”
The Oilers play the Predators at Bridgestone Arena on Tuesday (8 p.m. ET; BSSO, SNW) in the first of a two-game road trip before facing the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday.
Edmonton acquired Ekholm and a sixth-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft for defenseman Tyson Barrie, prospect forward Reid Schaefer, a first-round pick in 2023 and fourth-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft.
“It’s going to be special,” Ekholm said. “It’s been a big part of my life, it’s been a big part of my family’s life, two of my three kids were born there, and I have a lot of great memories: success, failures, all that stuff. I think it’s just the people around the rink, the guys in the parking lot, coaches, management, fans, all that stuff. It’s going to be really special.”
Nashville is expected to pay tribute to the native of Borlange, Sweden, who arrived for his first full NHL season in 2013 and left a decade later to join Edmonton prior to the 2023 NHL Trade Deadline.
“I don’t have any idea what it’s going to be like,” Ekholm said. “I’m going to try to be even-keeled, and at the same time, let it be emotional, let it be special. I’m sure it’ll be something I’ll never forget. It’s something that I’ll try to manage as much as possible because we need the win as well.”
The 33-year-old made his season debut for Edmonton in a 4-3 loss to the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday. He missed all of training camp with a hip and groin injury and did not get into a preseason game.
Ekholm has been a stabilizing presence on the Oilers blue line since arriving. Last season, he helped Evan Bouchard, 23, take a giant step forward in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and the Oilers hope he can do the same with Philip Broberg, 22, this season.
“Since he’s come here, he’s brought so many different things,” Oilers captain Connor McDavid said. “In the room he’s a leader, a true professional and he brings it each and every single day. On the ice, he’s just such a calming presence. You could just kind of feel it on Saturday, just what he brings to our team and it’s his first game for however long, so it’s good signs there.”
Edmonton lost its season opener 8-1 to Vancouver on Wednesday without Ekholm in the lineup, which demonstrated his value to the blue line. After arriving last season, Ekholm blended in with the Oilers seamlessly. He had 14 points (four goals, 10 assists) and was plus-28 in 21 games and had seven points (one goal, six assists) in 12 playoff games. Ekholm has three seasons left on a four-year contract signed with the Predators on Oct. 13, 2021.
“On his first shift [Saturday] I saw him go back for a puck with a forechecker on his back, he spun, and popped it on to the next player, and that’s what we miss when he’s not in the lineup,” Edmonton coach Jay Woodcroft said. “He’s got a real poise about him, but that said, he’s missed a lot of time, and you have to respect that and understand he’s going to continue to work his way into being who he is.
“I’m sure heading to Nashville is going to be an emotional time for him and I know his teammates are going to lay it on the line to make sure he walks out of that building happy.”
Ekholm said he will try to greet as many people as possible in his return to Nashville, but the focus will be on winning the game. The Oilers (0-2-0) are looking for their first win of the season.
“If you look at their roster, they cleaned out a lot of guys that I played with for a long time, there’s not that many left,” Ekholm said. “But the guys that really make your team are the trainers and your everyday personnel that’s always there no matter what. They’re there for you and try to support you and try to make your life as easy as possible to help you play at your best, everything from equipment managers to strength and video coaches, the medical staff and everybody.
“I’m sure it’s going to bring back a lot of memories and those are the kind of people you look forward to meeting as well.”
